The In right In writing to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul encouraged his readers to be adaptable,

to reach beyond their comfort zones to win others to Christ. So was he advocating for Christians to

blend in with the culture? Alistair Begg dives into Paul's purpose and

strategy today on Truth for Life as he's teaching from 1 Corinthians chapter 9.

We're looking then at these verses under the heading a lesson in adaptability

When we see somebody who does something with great power and influence, we are probably prone to ask the question, why is he doing this and how is he planning on achieving it and what is it that drives him to that end?

And that is essentially what we're doing this morning and listening to Paul

proclaim these words to the Corinthian Church. And we begin then with the

question, what are you doing, Paul?

He would be able to answer that in one sentence,

straightforward and simple.

If you look at the text, you will be able to judge

whether I am accurate in asserting this. What are you doing, Paul? Answer, I am seeking to win people for Christ.

Paul is in the business of winning. in the old-fashioned business of soul winning, and he's in absolutely

no doubt as to what he's doing. Now the word which is used here throughout these verses for

when is a very graphic word and it means just what it seems to mean. For example in

Matthew 18 in the instruction which Jesus provided on church discipline where he said that if

somebody was involved in sin and an individual went to them and confronted them and

they listened to them and responded in repentance,

then said Jesus, you have won your brother over.

It's the same word that he uses there.

And it is the same word, the idea of securing as a possession as an indication of a measure of victory.

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